Interval Training for Weight Loss

Burn More Fat

These cycling workouts will help you lose those last five pounds.

selene yeager

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This training plan is designed for cyclists who have been riding consistently but still feel like they have five to 15 pounds to lose. Your short-term goal should be to drop 0.5 to 1.5 pounds weekly. Shedding that stubborn spare tire is a simple function of tightening the screws on your diet and exercise. Be consistent with riding, add intensity and trim the fluff from your diet to get where you want to go. Here's a five-week plan designed by James Herrera of Performance Driven Consulting (pushyourlimit.com).

Find Your Zone...

Type of Workout

Zone

Rate of
Perceived
Exertion

% Max
Heart Rate

EASY: If it feels ridiculously slow, you're doing it right

1

1 to 2 (out of 10)

60 to 64

CRUISING: Hard enough to feel like you're getting exercise, but tolerable over a span of hours

2

3 to 4

65 to 74

STEADY: Just beyond what's comfortable, hard enough so you're breathing fast and working hard, but not so hard you can't sustain it for a long period

3

5 to 6

75 to 84

BRISK: The point at which you start working anaerobically; this isn't an all-out effort, but it's hard enough that you can maintain it for only a short portion of your ride